The BEST etcher?

daffodildeb · Post by **daffodildeb** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 9:25 am

Okay, I want names, dates, serial numbers, etc. I would like the board's consensus on the very best liquid etcher, and the very best etching cream.

As an aside, I can say I'm totally unhappy with what I'm using now. I have "Glass Bead Etching Cream" from Arrow Springs, and Etch All liquid. The latter is a "dirty" brown--was that way when it was opened. Is it no good? I have etched some of my lampworked beads satisfacturily, but not stained glass.

Suggestions?

vblue · Post by **vblue** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 9:34 am

I have successfully etched glass.....stained glass and dichroic glass for several years. I use the Armour Etch cream. Usually it is a cream color, but have had a couple of bottles that were more tan in color and they still worked okay.

Mimi Rivera Vellek · Post by **Mimi Rivera Vellek** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 3:35 pm

Armour Etch cream is all I've ever used, as well. I've only used it to etch off dichroic, though, and have not had reason to try another kind since it's worked well. It's usually a white to cream color.

Barbara Cashman · Post by **Barbara Cashman** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 6:43 pm

My preference for an etching cream is Velvet Etch, which I purchased through Ed Hoy. Smoother, cleaner and less messy than Armor Etch. I am really not sure if they still carry it, but it was fantastic...and cheaper than Armor Etch. My input. - Barbara C

Diane Trepanier · Post by **Diane Trepanier** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 10:38 pm

Etch All Liquid is that brown color. Yes, it is fine. Works for me.

Allan Gott · Post by **Allan Gott** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 11:56 pm

People will think I'm on Bob's payroll

...........I think hisglassworks has a new etching product available that he's very happy with. I'll let him know you're asking, in the meantime there should be a little information in the craftweb archive.

Lynne Chappell · Post by **Lynne Chappell** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 12:16 am

I use Velvet Etch for float glass (light colored cream), and Etchall DipNetch (brown liquid) for beads. The velvet etch works very well on float but barely touched Bullseye glass. Haven't tried it on Spectrum.

Lynne

Bob Stephan · Post by **Bob Stephan** » Thu Sep 11, 2003 2:48 pm

Hi, and no, Alan is not on my payroll, he just seems to respect what I do here at His Glassworks. We do have both an etching powder which you mix with water to make your own solution of etching liquid, and we have a cream consistency etching compound. Names respectively are:
Vari-Etch Frosting Powder and Vari-Etch Etching Cream. Profound, no?

Here is a link to my website: http://www.hisglassworks.com/pages/varietch.html

Lewt me know if we can be of help.

Bob

p.s., I agree that if the dip-n-etch is working for you, the brown color should not be an issue.